The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-12
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Mora, Element in Politics.

As the Republican party came into existence
on moral ISSUE fought its first battles and won
its first national triumph in the defense of moral
right, as against seeming political expediency,
so it has always been strongest and most sue
cessful with the people when it has dared to
stand firmly for moral right, so far as that is
always involved in political issues, and has pre-
sented in that respect the most marked contrast
to the policy seeking methods of the Democratic
party. It is historic fact that the moral
aspects OF question of public policy has
not generally received much consideration at the
hands of the Democratic party, expediency and
present party advantage alone commonly being
considered by its leaders in shaping its policy
Indeed. from the day wien Seward shocked and
disguised the Democratic mind with his 'hiehsr
law" doctrine, in the United States Senate
down to the present, the real Simon-pu Demo
cratic idea has seemed to be that the law of
moral right has no proper place or business in
politics. That, in fact. politics is politics, and
that strategy, me boy strategy is the thing in
all party positions and methods; the Ten Com
mandments having to do with religion and ap
plying IN business and social life, but being
quite imperative and inappropriate in polit-
ical contests. And just here must be
found the explanation of the phenomenon
so often presented, OF men who are honorable
as Democrats. they knowingly uphold and sup
port their party in the most corrupt and imam.
GUS methods and practices This is due to
perversion of conscience in politics-to the fact
that they taught that the stern rules of
moral right and upriehtness which they recog
nize as binding upon them in the common affairs
OF lfe do not, with equal force and urgency, ap-
ply in politics, but that the end they seek-ths
public good-both justifes and sanetifes the
CROOKED" methods they so often employ to reach
it. Thus, and only thus. can we explain the
curious spectacle of men who ordinarily
honorable upright and true standing in
solid array in defense of the scoun-
drelism of the tally sheet forceries. of corrupt
and vile partisan administration of the public
institutions, Of the UNANIMOUSLY unjus and unfair
gerrymander Of '84. of the determined und un-
scrupulous resistance to the popular will in the
election Of lieutenant governor, OF their partys
unholy alliance with the Liquor League, of its
open and defiant attacks upon the integrity of
| the ballot in numerous places in the North. and
| of it's wholesale disfrauchisement of Republicans
! in large sections of the South by the most I'M
| bushing frauds and criminal outraees, SO that
| elections there are mere farces.
In view Of this very general perversion and de-
basement of the Democratic conscience upon the
| moral right involved 10 all these instances what
| becomes the duty of the Republican party
| in the premisesf Is it that it shall
| enter into rivalry with that party
| in the employment of "ways that are dark and
tricks that vain" in the hope to outgeneral.
and beat it on its own ground and with its own
| weapons2 Not at all, by no means. But its
duty is, the lower the Democratic party de-
| scends in wrong and unjust methods of warfare,
the higher and purer should be the Republican
| party's methods and practices. If the Demo
| cratic party unhappy elects to continue to re-
| sort to immoral and illegal methods, the duty is
imperative upon the Republican party to repre-
| sent, illustrate and demonstrate moral and legal
right and justice in political history; for
| without the saving presence and potency of
these in our national life, decay and death inevi
| mi n b.
| lie. Not ia this favored land, and in the close oe
| the nineteenth century of the Christian era will
| it be found possible to successfully maintain "a
| government of the people. by the people, for
the people" without incessaut fidelity. and
| obedience to the great moral laws of right and
| justice in our political life.
Finally, as some agency, power or organiza-
| ton must champion the moral right and inter-
| weave it into our Nations history the com
ing years. as it has most happily often been sig
| nallzed in its past history, that high and hosor-
| able function belongs in peculiar degree to the
| Republican party from the source of its origin.
| It's birth in great moral issue in politics gives
| it prescriptive right. and makes it obligatory
| upon it to espouse moral right, justice and fair
dealing in politics; aud il it shall with clean
| hands and pure methods contend for the full
measure of what is morally right. just and fair.
| in any and every issue that may present itself
in our national progress, it will prove invincble
in conflict in the future. as it has often been
| in the past. 1t is we'll worth constant re-
membrance that the God of heaven has never
overthrow a nation for it's righteousness, but
| many for their wickedness. And in the face OF
| present Democratic methods and tendencies.
repeat, the obligation is imperative upon the Re
publican party to honestly, firmly and persist
entity stand for justice, right and law, and to ex
empfy all these in it's own party methods and
practices. Let us walk in the ''Old paths"
| FILLMORE, Ind, March 4. RIB. D.
The Causes of the Democratic Revolution
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journals:
IL cannot see" said good hearted and homes
| old Democrat "whas causes have impelled tn,
| party have supported SO long to hold so deter
minedly the presidency of the Senate. How
can it result in any good to the party to cratif
the ambition of Green Smith? There was n
article of Democratic faith endangered by lettin
a man whom the people hac elected take his oil
fice even if they did think that none should hav
D been elected. The election showed that a ma ol
ity of the people wanted Republican Lieutey
! ant-governor, and the doctrine of democracy
to let the people govern as far as they can do S
| in the machinery of our institutions"
II think said q we'll posted member of tn
, Republican faith, Il tell you the whol
| secret. I will, at least. with your permission
= | give you my solution Of the problem that 20
seem to be unable to solve; then you can thin
l. as you like about my logc.
Q First, there was United States Senator to cleo
d which event had been thoroughly planned. An
d the purpose was to elect Democrat. suffcier
J, | number of Democrats were to resign to prever
any one from being elected You will not que
ton this, for that determination was made pu
# lie in the papers of each party.
I Second, the State institutions were governe
a by Defnocrats-by men who had contribute
4 literally to the election fund used by the part
h and had also contributed each his individual e
fort.
Third. the Democrats had put plank in the
platform favoring a higher license for sellil